Political goings on in and around Berks County, PA. This blog is not affiliated with the Democratic Party. All rights reserved.
The views expressed here are opinions and the site owner is not responsible for the opinions written by contributors or commenters.

January 24, 2008

District Attorney John T. Adams announced today he will not seek the death penalty for the three young men who murdered a Kutztown University student last year. I was at the news conference where former DA Mark Baldwin announced he was considering the death penalty and thought he was grandstanding. While openly acknowledging his office's investigation wasn't complete, Baldwin still told the press he was considering such extreme action. I though he was playing for votes because it was awfully premature for such an announcement.

This was a horrific murder but doesn't rise tot he level of a death penalty case in my opinion. I think the state should use its right to kill very rarely, in cases of killing police officers, acts of terrorism or for serial murderers. This case doesn't fit those parameters. It also wasn't premeditated. Kyle Quinn's killers deserve to be incarcerated for the remainder of their natural lives.

The constable who came by the house last night to make an arrest based on a traffic ticket incurred after FEEDING THE METER in Reading and not being notified prior, failed to produce identification when I asked his identity. He also refused to show me the papers issued by Tom Xavios' Magisterial District Court. After I explained my problems with this office he denied working out of it. Constables, especially in Reading, all work out of specific courts. Then he called me a liar and said he didn't trust me to go to the court today.

Since when do law enforcement personnel fail to produce proper identification when asked? All I know about this man is his last name is Weder or Wieder. Nor producing ID is a serious mistake. How are people to know the person at their door isn't some joker with a t-shirt and dime store badge? After he refused my offer of going to the court today then to the Mayor's office for a frank discussion of the corrupt parking authority in Reading he refused to accept my check.

I was ready and willing to pay him the exorbitant amount I was being shaken down for in return, as I put it, for getting my pound of flesh about this on my blogs. It's time this scam was exposed. I was tempted to write something immediately after receiving that ticket but deferred feeling it would damage the Mayor's campaign. I won't ever make that mistake again.

I've heard very offensive remarks from various constables over the years. Very racist, bigoted, intolerant statements made against minorities and gays. I was actually investigating constable misbehavior the day I got this ticket. Fliers were being distributed around the city, something which seems to happen in each election, spreading inaccurate smears and without the legally required disclosures as to whom paid for and distributed the fliers. I tracked these down to a group of constables working for one of the Mayoral candidates. I wasn't able to obtain direct proof however so I didn't write the article. Therefore I won't mention the constables involved or the candidate. It's only a matter of time, however, until they get caught.

It's ironic that I defended constables after The Reading Eagle published articles some described as "hit pieces." I corrected the record about they are paid and how hard the top paid constables work for their incomes. It's a shame the bad ones tarnish the good ones.

January 23, 2008

I'm fed up with the parking ticket scam District Judge Tom Xavios has been running. Tonight one of his constables showed up with an arrest warrant for a ticket I got last May while covering Mayor McMahon's campaign. The problem is I put four quarters in the meter that day and returned to my car before time expired. A ticket was on my windshield even though I'd fed the meter.

I took pictures immediately to document the evidence. Because I fed the meter I knew I would contest the ticket but no opportunity came to do so because we were never notified of a hearing by Judge Xavios. Now he wants $122 for the $1 I already put into that parking meter.

Be very careful going into Reading if you must park. To make matters worse this isn't the first time Xavios has scammed me. A number of years ago I got a ticket while parked, legally, in a handicapped space outside the courthouse. While inside someone put a temporary no parking sign up and ticketed my car. When I parked there was no sign. I confronted a city worker about the sign and ticket when I exited the courthouse and was told they'd erected it after I went inside.

Judge Xavios never notified me of that hearing either and he pocketed the money I ponied up to have the hearing. I filed a formal complaint against him with the Judicial Conduct Board for his scam. Now he's hit me again.

My best advice to all: stay out of the City of Reading.

Update: I just returned from having to drive into Reading, find Judge Xavios' court and pay the fine for a parking offense I didn't commit. The staff there was as unprofessional as their constable. The clerk wouldn't even look me in the eye then complained that I wasn't speaking while she was looking away. I thought she was talking to someone else as I'm accustomed to people looking at me when they're addressing me.

This is going to be the most expensive $123 Reading ever collected. Anyone doing an internet search for parking in Reading is going to read this article. My advice: do not park in downtown Reading unless you appreciate getting scammed. This is three times I've been ticketed while legally parked. I paid one rather than fight a corrupt system. Why anyone would consider investing in a major hotel downtown is beyond comprehension.

The constable kept calling me a lair last night for saying I'd be in the court today to deal with this. Now we know who the liar is. He refused to accept my payment so I was forced to drive into Reading. It is the last time I'll be in Reading for a while. Each week instead of writing about the County Commissioners meeting I'll remind readers why I'm not there. Mayor McMahon has some work to do to clean up this mess.

January 21, 2008

Today we honor and remember the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year we also honor the life and legacy of the late Ron Rouse who hosted local events honoring Dr. King for many years. Mr. Rouse operated The Minority Voice, an important newspaper in our community.

January 19, 2008

Though I have endorsed and support John Edwards for President I am publicizing these events because many friends and former Deaniacs are involved in the local Obama campaign. If you are interested in circulating petitions for John Edwards please email PAvictory@johnedwards.com.

Jan. 24 and throughout drive: Voters
can drop in and sign petitions, and Boyd Winegardner, the office manager,
will notarize your completed petitions for free, at the office of the
Berks County Democratic Committee, 434 Walnut Street, Reading PA
19601. This office is normally open
M-F, 9-5, and will be open 9am-noon on Sat. Jan. 26 and Sat. Feb. 9.
(This is a one-person office, and closes for lunch and emergencies,
so call to check on hours before you drop by.) Circulators:
If you cannot come to the office during regular hours. You may
leave notarized petitions with Boyd, but PLEASE, call Eileen or Cynthia
immediately and let us know so that we can pick them up from Boyd.
If you live near Eileen or Cynthia, please give us the petitions directly,
or bring them to one of our events.

Saturday, Jan. 26: 2-5pm.
Petition-Signing Party at Cynthia Baughman's house, with State Rep.
David Kessler. Co-hosted with Sue Gregson. Other candidates and
campaigns are also invited. Confirmed so far: Bob Roggio
for Congress in the 6th CD.

Sunday Jan. 27: 12:30-2:30pm, Petition
Party at Bill Leopold's house, 516 Oak Road, Merion Station PA 19066
(Lower Merion Township). In addition to petitions for Obama, please
join us (as possible based on where you live) in petitioning for invited
guests state representatives Michael Gerber, Kathy Manderino, and Daylin
Leach. (Daylin is running for State Senate).

Sunday, Jan. 27: 5:30-8pm.
Fundraiser for Rep. David Kessler, Oley Valley Inn. Cynthia &
Eileen will attend with petitions. Contact Eileen or Cynthia if
you would like a invitation (cost: $145—sublime meal in a beautiful,
historic inn).

January 16, 2008

There wasn't any parking available Tuesday so I missed the Commissioners meeting. I saw on the agenda that a resolution to rescind the $625,000 allocated for the Riverplace amphitheater is already on the agenda for a vote tomorrow. It didn't take long for the new Board to destroy this riverfront development project. The odds of state funding being available later is slim and Christian Leinbach and Mark Scott seem dead set against the project. Kevin barnhardt also indicated he will vote to rescind the funds.

There seemed to be some dissension about these monies not being included in the County budget and some mystery as to where they would come from but with an $83 million surplus projected by the end of this year and Scott's unwillingness to cut taxes in accordance with that surplus it seems to me the money is available.

I was at the Democratic state committee last Friday and Saturday and covered it for my main blog. There are a number of articles there including information on the four candidates now running for the 6th Congressional District nomination.

I also got the new statewide voter registration database while in Harrisburg last week and, as of January 2nd, Judge Jeffrey Schmehl is still a Republican. Hmm, someone still owes a rather serious apology about that.

There was a workshop Friday morning about campaign finance law and some of what we've discussed on this blog about county committee filings was discussed. The lawyer said there were no problems with having financial secretaries and checks and balances on funds. Hmmmm. They also reiterated that when paid employees do significant work for campaigns that needs to be reported as in-kind contributions. The other interesting item which caught my ear was the prohibition on labor unions contributing. I see one particular local union contributions popping up regularly in local campaign finance reports. Hmmmm.... Are people just not reporting correctly or are they taking union money in addition to corporate contributions?

January 10, 2008

According to this post on Keystone Politics, Mike Leibowitz has also decided to run again for the Democratic Party nomination to challenge Jim Gerlach. In 2006 with only a small fraction of the funding that Lois Murphy had for the primary. Mike Leibowitz did surprising well in some precincts in Berks County.

In order to win this seat from Jim Gerlach. The Democrats are going to need a candidate that can hold Jim Gerlach to a draw in Berks County. We'll soon see if the current crop of Democratic challengers is up to the task.

January 09, 2008

The new Board convened yesterday for their first gathering as a Board and spent most of the session reviewing a list of major projects. The list has nothing new and is filled with all the major initiatives the County has been pursuing for some time. It served to bring the two new Commissioners up to speed. Let me not that is no need to prioritize this list because these projects are spread over many different departments. Each department has already prioritized its projects and these tend to be the highest priority projects for each department.

Commissioners oversee the County and provide guidance on projects, decide which ones go forward and expend the funds for the projects. They do not manage these efforts, department heads do in coordination with Bill Dennis the County Administrator. For example the financial management software project is being done through the Controllers Office, the Community Corrections Center is a project of the Prison Board, the new 911/EMA communications system is their effort, the tower for cell phones at the North Campus is being negotiated by the Solicitor's Office, etc.

Sitting through these meetings for a long time gives a sense of the status of each project as matters involving them come before the Board. This is the role of the Board of Commissioners. They shouldn't be telling Sandy Graffius, for example, that her project is subservient to another. The other projects don't impact on hers and vice versa (most of the time). The County is big enough to simultaneously perform many tasks at once. It does so every day.

In other business Lisa Siciliano came before the Board with an emergency request for immediate action on a situation with the Visitation Center. This is an operation which provides divorced/separated/estranged parents with a safe environment for transferring their children for visitations. It seems the rent and other expenses haven't been paid for several months and eviction proceedings are commencing.

After some discussion it turned out this wasn't a dire emergency needing immediate attention and will be voted on Thursday.

A crime fighting grant of federal funds was also discussed. This annual grant is split with Reading and the Commissioners need to decide how to split the money with the city. In the past the split has been 80-20 though it presently is 85-15. One of the projects it has funded is the camera system installed by Mayor McMahon. I remain doubtful about having video cameras scattered around public areas as a privacy issue but the argument is that they are effective. Police states always are effective at fighting crime but that doesn't make them proper or appropriate. As much as I like and support the Mayor sometimes this City can be very heavy handed.

January 08, 2008

Today's County Commissioners meeting was the first in four years without Tom Gajewski. My friend finally has a private life again though I'm sure he wishes he were still serving the people of Berks. Tom routinely put in 70 hour work weeks and was dedicated to the people. The fact he lost the election shouldn't be a reflection of his many accomplishments.

The Community Corrections Center will be one of his lasting legacies. Not only will it ease overcrowding at the prison but it will do it at considerably less cost and rehabilitate non violent offenders. The budget process he initiated with Ms. Schwank streamlined the budget, reduced waste and corrected a serious problem. One of the first things Mark Scott did today was try to put an end to those meetings. Gajewski's fiscal watchdoggedness saved County taxpayers considerably over the years.

The prescription drug card was one of Tom's personal endeavors. Every time someone gets a discount with them it's due to Tom's efforts. The amphitheater at the Riverfront may be rescinded but developing the waterfront is crucial to the future of the city and was another project on which Tom worked. If a new Board deep sixes the project his efforts should still be appreciated.

There were many more things he worked on as Commissioner and with the launching of the new Board I thought I'd take a moment to salute Tom and his tireless work over four years. We're still friends and we'll continue being friends regardless whether he's at the courthouse or not.